Why shouldn’t we use cellphone in Airplane?

Image credit: Flickr Phir Dragash

Using cellphone while on flight is still forbidden by most air lines because of very good safety reasons. First, there are gadgets that pilots uses which are very sensitive and may be interfered with by the cell phone. This can endanger the lives of hundreds of passengers on board. It has been argued that passengers are the main reason behind the ban of phone usage while on board , more often before passengers board a plane you will hear them tell their friends that they are about to board a plane and therefore they may not be in a position to communicate while on board.

Since a plane may carry over 100 people, if all the people on board were to use their phones at the same time, this could be awful especially where businessmen were to talk and discuss for a number of hours discussing their business deals and ideas. Things would be worse if the plane was full of teens who would engage in gossips over their phone this would disturb the peace and a cool serenity enjoyed by the neighbors.

Technological growth may make things better by allowing more sophisticated airplane equipments that are not affected by phones, once this level is reached , it may be possible to allow phone usage while on board.

According to tests that have been done, it has been established that cell phones can greatly interfere with the navigation system of the plane. It has further been established that the radio beam which come from the ground cannot be detected by VOR making it difficult for the pilot to keep in touch with the people on the ground. However since VOR is quickly becoming outdated and is fast being replaced with GPS, things are expected to get better with time.

Apart from the first reason every other is to make article longer. it was like reading my engineering answer papers lol 🙂

ssr

January 1, 2013 | 3:17 pm

First, there are gadgets that pilots uses… pilotS useS? I think it`s mistake.

Ajay Sodhi

January 2, 2013 | 11:27 am

Yes, I also believe so, agreed not to use the mobiles on board. We can’t enjoy the journey if we keep ourselves busy in the things that we keep doing while on ground, so in that case also, strongly agreed with the author’s thought.

-AJ-

James

January 2, 2013 | 1:50 pm

When you drop your phone into Airplane Mode it disables the GPRS and switches off the Wireless.. But now-a-days when you get on a plane they actually ask you if you would like to use the in-flight Wifi… Go figure!

Moe DeTale

January 8, 2013 | 6:39 pm

You know navigators and pilots use iPads all through the flight, including take offs and landings when passengers are not allowed?

mbond

January 8, 2013 | 8:34 pm

“First, there are gadgets that pilots uses which are very sensitive and may be interfered with by the cell phone.”

This is untrue.

Turning a Cell phone off is an FCC regulation because of tower switching issues. Around 3500 feet, circling a cell tower, you can talk on the phone pretty well … assuming the sound of the prop doesn’t drive the other person batty 🙂

James

January 9, 2013 | 12:51 am

The idea that tons of people will be talking on the phone at once is ludicrous. For one, nobody wants to be “that one obnoxious person” who talks on a cell phone when everybody is trying to sleep. If cell phones are eventually allowed, the most anybody will ever do is text, since nobody really talks on the phone anymore.

Alzadjali

January 18, 2013 | 1:29 pm

I don’t think it has to do with the in flight communication or navigation system. Taking off and Landing are the most critical time for flight. Therefore, the airline wants you to focus on what is going on just in case something happens.